Improvement in deflection-stands for switch-operating rods



A. G. CUMMINGS. Deflection-Stand for Switch-Operating Rods.

No. 218,496. Patented Aug. i2, i879.

G O 0, CL

a' l O c l c' A A 0" adf/,f j) LSE V ingr/f d o; a' A l A A l i, au a'MPETZE. Pliomu'mocuwsn. wAswNerou. n n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE ALBERT G. GUMMINGS, OF HARRISBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT. IN DEFLECTION-STANDS FOR SWITCH-OPERATING RODS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,496, dated August l2,1879; application filed May 7, 1879.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. OUMMINGs,

`of Harrisburg, county of Dauphin, State of Pennsylvania, have inventedor discovered a new and useful Improvement in Deiection- Stands forSwitch an d- Signal Oonnections; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanyin g drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure lshows a perspective view of my improved deflection-stand as combinedwith a joint. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 shows,in outline, one method of using my improvement.

In operating switches and signals from a distant station, connection isusually made between the switch or signal and the operatinglevers bymeans of metallic pipes or tubes. These connecting-tubes must frequentlybe laid around curves, and my invention relates to a device forsupporting and guiding such tubes, so as to allow free endwise motion.

It is constructed as follows: Cast-metal side plates A A, two or more innumber, are bolted together at the desired distance apart, and inparallel planes, by means of distance-pieces and bolts B, passingthrough the upper and lower edges of the plates. An open-ended box orframe is thus made, which may be secured in the desired position bymeans of spikes or bolts b, passing through feet d and block or plank D,which may be the bottom of the box in which such connecting-tubes areusually laid, or other suitable foundation. Lengthwise of these sideplates A are made parallel ribs or rails a, which, in connection withthe adjacent faces c of the side plates, form parallel guides or rails.

The sections of the coupling-tubes G are connected by eye-and-socket orhinge joints c c', so as to allow the line of connection to be curved asdesired. The guide-box A A is located at such jointed couplings, withthe connecting-tube passing through it, and on the coupling-bolt c arejournaled two frictionwheels, s, one above and one below thecoupling-joint. These wheels are arranged to run in the guide-rails aa', both above and below, and serve not only to guide and support theline of connecting-tubes, but also to relieve the lateral friction whichwould otherwise be caused in communicating endwise motion through such abent and jointed connection.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated this application of my improvement byshowing three guides supporting a jointed and curved or angularconnecting-tube, and in all the figures I have shown the device withthree plates, A A A, thus providing guides for two lines of connectionsarranged side by side. Any number may be thus employed, as desired 5and, if preferred, the height of the plates A may be in- A creased, andprovision made for guiding two or more lines of connections arranged oneover another. A similar arrangement may also be employed withconnections along a changing grade, causing a vertical deflectionof thebars or tubes. In such a case the bolt e may be arranged in a horizontalline, so as to cause the wheels s to bear against the fianges a. Acarriage is thus obtained to support the weight of the tube and relievevertical pressure or friction.

I do not limit my invention to the form or kind of joint c c shown anddescribed, but include the use of the described device with other kindsof jointed connections, and as a bearing in connections without joints.-

The tubes may be dispensed with, and bars or rods substituted in lieuthereof, and in either case the bars or tubes, when employed withoutjoints, would be somewhat enlarged at the point where the pin e wouldpass through them, and for a suitable distance on each side of the pinthe bars would be made parallel with the guide-rails, and the bars thenbent at such an angle at each end of the box as would be required, orthey may be bent at an angle from the pin, on each side thereof.

While the working-faces of the rails tt may be fiat or parallel with thetop and bottom faces of the rollers s, which work thereon, I prefer tomake them with a bevel or slope, particularly the bottom ones, as shownin Fig. 2, though an equivalent oval face may be used, though lessadvantageously.

The object of so shaping the working-faces of the rails a is to lessenthe friction of the rollers thereon, and also that dirt, sand, or gravelmay not lodge thereon, so as to interfere with or block the rollers, orif it does lodge, that the rollers may the more readily loosen it andforce it oti". It is important that such apparatus be made with theleast possible liability to get ont of' order or become damaged orehoke.

Furthermore, the endwise-thrust strain on the pipe-connections C underthe resolution of forces is partly expanded in the direction of thearrow, Fig. 3. This results in the friction-rollers s s being thrown orpressed against the outer rails a'.

When the strain on the connections is reversed, the tendency of' thetubes or rods is to assume a straight line, causing the rollers toimpinge on the rails on the opposite side, thus changing thc bearing ofthe rollers from the outer rails a' a to the inner rails a a.

The bcveling of tbe working-faces of' the rails a, as shown anddescribed, acts so as to bring the rollers s s well np against the outerrails a', and also so as to cause them to clear the inner rails a', andthereby lessen the resistance. And in cases where the pipceonnections Cform a much less obtuse angle than is represented in Fig. 3, I makeprovision for the working ofthe connections without interfering with theside plates A ot the stand by bowing outwardly the outer side plates AA, and entirely omitting or considerably shortening up the inside plateA.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. A delieetion-stand or open-ended box,A

A,with top connections B, provided with gniderails, in combination withone ormore frictionrollers, s, attached to a tube, bar, or rod for aswitch and signal connection, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. A deliection-stand with top connections B, havin glaterally-supporting rails a' and bottom supports a, in combination withfriction rollers s s, arranged on a hinge-pin ot' the ljoint,substantially as set forth.

3. As a guide for the jointed connections between switch or signal andoperatingdevers, the deflection-stand with bolt or cast counections B,in combination with friction-rollers s s, arranged to rest upon andbetween parallel guides of the stand, for supporting the connec tions atthe joints, substantially as lset forth.

4. The carrying-rail having the flanges a, with bevel or sloping or ovalworking-faces, in combination with the roller or rollers s, which workthereon, substantially as set forth.

5. As an antifriction device for guiding the connection between switchesor signals and operatiuglevers, the combination ot' an open ended box, AA, with top connections B, a support, e, for the connection, andanti-friction rollers running on guide-rails of the box, arrangedsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT Gr. (JUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

C. L. PARKER, R. H. WHITTLESEY.

